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KELOWNA
– Okanagan-Westside MLA Rick Thorpe
today officially opened the $8.67-million addition and upgrade to Mount
Boucherie senior secondary school, which will provide students with new
opportunities for career development.
“The expansion to Mount Boucherie adds seven new classrooms,
ensuring there is enough space for students in the Westside area,” said Thorpe.
“The addition also includes a new teaching kitchen, metal shop, clothing and
textiles shop, and music room that will make students excited about coming to
school every day while providing career and further educational opportunities
for our youth to pursue.”
The addition provides space for 400 students,
increasing the capacity of Mount Boucherie senior secondary from 925 to 1,325
students. The new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen has equipment typically
used in the restaurant industry. The new metal shop features modern machinery
with a focus on welding, while the music room doubles as a multi-purpose room.
The existing school building has also been updated.
“Our
government has given school districts the flexibility to offer a wider variety
of courses and programs that make education more relevant to students’
interests and goals,” said Education Minister Shirley Bond. “As I toured the
addition while it was under construction, I was pleased to see the
opportunities that it would provide for students in Westside.”
The total cost of
$8.67 million for the upgrade included the Province’s investment of $4.17
million for the expansion, and the school district’s investment of $4.5 million
to upgrade the existing school building. The district’s share came from the
sale of surplus properties.
Since
2001, nearly $40 million in school construction projects have been completed in
the Central Okanagan school district, including two replacement projects, seven
additions and one renovation.
The
expansion of Mount Boucherie school is part of the Province’s capital plan
that, since
2001, has provided more than $1.3 billion to complete 26 new schools, 41
replacement schools, 147 additions, 25 renovations and 20 site acquisitions
across British Columbia. By the end of
2008-09 government will have invested more than $3.1 billion in school capital
and maintenance projects across B.C.
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The online version of this news release was updated on March 7, 2008 to correct several factual errors.
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Ministry of Education 250 356-5963 |
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